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3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. H. PLACE.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MAGHINE.

P O T N E V N Patented Mar. 8; 1887.

W 0 lli i w 'LJOHN H.PLAOE PETERS. mmmm m. mm n. c

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. H. PLACE.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE. N0. 358,988. Patented M6128, 1887.

@Jede ig&'&&& MMMMWWQQ ("Q' i -l! If! a v v n n L/ jL/vv Vluxvkhanumwulululu JOHN. .PLACE W m 13W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. PLACE, OF DECATUR, ILL., ASSIGNOR OF TWVO-THIRDS TO DAVID R.ALEXANDER AND THOMAS P. MATTHEWS, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,983, dated March 8.1887.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. PLACE, of the city of Decatur, county ofMacon, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Circular Knitting Machines, of which the following is aspecitleation.

My invention relates to circular-knitting machines for knittingdouble-knee stockings; and it consists in certain details ofconstruction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter set forth andclaimed.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a side view of my machine. Fig. 2 is a plan of thecam-cylinder. Fig. 3 represents opposite sides of the cam-cylinder incentral vertical section on dotted lineX in Fig. 2, the cams occupyingone of two possible operative positions. Fig.

4 represents opposite sides of the cam-cylinder in central verticalsection on dotted line a: in Fig. 2, the cams occupying the other of twopossible operative positions. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a portionof the cam-cylinder on dotted line Y in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 represents aportion of the fabric which my machine is designed to knit, theinterstices being unduly enlarged the better to show the peculiaritiesof the texture and one thread being darkened 0 for the same purpose.Figs. 7 and 8 represent series of needles on right planes which areintended to illustrate, in a manner to be hereinafter specified, certainsteps in the operation of the machine and the formation of the fabric.

5 The needle cylinder 8 is distinguishable from needle-cylinders ascommonly constructed by its unusual length only. The needles used are oftwo sets, one set long and the other set short.

a, Fig. 3, indicates a short needle in its proper vertical position withrelation to the contiguous cam-cylinder.

d, Fig. 4:, indicates a long needle in its proper vertical position withrelation to the 5 contiguous cam-cylinder. The needles of one set, d,are arranged consecutively on one side of the needle-cylinder andalternately with the needles 0 of the other set on the opposite side ofthe needle-cylinder.'

The cam-cylinder is composed of two portions, m and 0, one above theother, the internal operative surfaces of one beingvertically coincidentwith the other, and the upper portion extending down around the lowerportion. Each portion of the cam-cylinder is provided with a set ofcams, m, in the upper and e in the lower portion, and said camscorrespond one set with the other in size and shape. Lower portion, 6,of the cam-cylinder is provided at its lower termination with an annu- 6lar flange, e. that proj ects outwardly on a horizontal plane. That partof the upper portion of the cam-cylinder which embraces the lowerportion is also provided at its lower termination with an annularflange, m, that 6 rests in contact with flange 6, but does not extend sofar.

Secured to the upper outer surface of flange e is an annular band, f,provided with an inner and under circumferential recess, that fits overflange m. Concentric slots h penetrate the band vertically, andset-screws i secure said band to flange c in a manner permittingrotatative adjustment.

At points directly opposite are apertures g in the upper surface of bandf, and a bolt, it, having vertical motion in a casing, k, on thedownward and outward extension of the camcylinder engages one of saidapertures and makes the relative positions of the different parts of thecam-cylinder temporarily rigid.

A spring, 70, in casing It causes the bolt to surely engage theapertures, and a projection,

Z, furnishes means for readily raising the bolt. Brackets q are attachedto the upper portion 8 5 of the cam-cylinder at points directlyopposite, and carry, in addition to the customary threadguides 0 and p,the auxiliary guides 0 and p. The comb r (shownin Fig. l) differs fromordinary combs only in having an opening through which a thread may bepassed. The dovetail block miu Figs. 3 and 4 forms a portion of theneedle'supporting band opposite the cams in the upper portion of thecylinder, and its removal permits the ready insertion of the longneedles.

The long needles are operated by cams c, the short needles are operatedby cams m, and said needles are all operated consecutively withoutregard to sets; or the needles of one Q states set are operatedalternately with the needles of theother set,according as thecams arearranged vertically coincident, as shown in Fig. 4, or

opposite, as shown in Fig. 3.

It is essential that the vertical coincidence of the cams should be veryprecise, in order that the operation of the needles may be regularlycontinuous, and the slots gand screws 13 furnish means whereby thevertical positions of the cams may be made to exactly coincide.

To knit astocking with my machine, the two portions of the cam-cylinderare placed with their cams vertically coincident, (see Fig, 4,) and theneedles are setup with thread b in any well-known manner. Then,astheknitting proceeds, all the needles are operated in regular succession,and an ordinary one-thread fabric is produced, as shown in the lowerportion of Fig. 6. Vhen the knee of the stocking is approached, bolt 92is raised out of an aperture, 9, and the upper portion of thecamcylinder is given a semi-revolution on the lower ortion, carrying thecams into the opposing positions shown in Fig. 3 and the bolt into theopposite aperture. Thread a is now introduced, preferably through thecomb, as indicatedin Fig. 1, and when the knitting is recommenced onethread is knitted on one set of needles by one set of cams and the otherthread is knitted on the other set of needles by the other set of cams,that part of the fabric formed on the needles of both sets alternatelyarranged appearing as indicated in the upper left portion of Fig. 6, andthat portion of the fabric formed on needles of one set consecutivelyarranged appearing as indicated in the upper right part of Fig. 6. YVhentheknee portion of the stocking has been knitted in this manner, bolt onis again raised and the cams again carried into a vertically-coincidentposition bygiving the upper portion of the canrcylinder a semirevolutionon the lower portion. Thread a is dispensed with, and the stocking iscompleted with one thread in any well-known manner.

In Fig. 6 a represents the thread that is knitted on needles 0 only. brepresents the thread that is knitted on all the needles when the camsare vertically coincident, and on needles d only when the cams areoppositely arranged. The wales c are knitted on needles 0. The wales dare knitted on needles d, the connecting-threads of each set of Walesbeing interknitted with the intervening Wales, as shown.

In Fig. 7 the relative positions ofthe threads are shown as they appearin the machine immediately after thread a has been knitted.

tion and a lower portion, each having a set of cams and having anindependent adjusting rotation and a common operative rotation, as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. The combination ofa needle-cylinder having two sets of needles ofdifferent lengths, the needles of one set being continuously arranged onone side of the cylinder and arranged alternately with the needles ofthe other set on the opposite side of the cylinder, with a cam-cylindercomposed of an upper portion and a lower portion, each having a set ofcams and having an independent adjusting rotation and a common operativerotation, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. Theeombin'ation ofa needle cylinder having two sets of needles ofdifferent lengths with a cam-cylinder composed of an upper portion and alower portion having their inner surfaces vertically coincident, thelower portion having an outwardly-projecting annular flange at its lowertermination, and the upper portion extending down around the lowerportion to the flange thereof, where it terminates in an annular flangeoutwardly projecting, an

annular band on the flange of the lower portion of the cam-cylinder,embracing the flange on the upper portion, a set of cams in each portionof the cam cylinder, and means whereby the said cams may be adjusted andheld either vertically coincident or approximately opposite, as and forthe purpose set forth.

4. The combination of a needlecylinder having two sets of needles ofdifferent lengths with acam-cylinder composed of an upper portion and alower portion having their inner surfaces vertically coincident, thelower por- Attcst:

0.0. CLARK, W. L. J ones,

